


We Could be a Family

by danvssomethingorother



Category: The Venture Bros
Genre: Cheating, an abusive relationship from the POV of a child, child abuse and neglect
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-25 21:28:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18269642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danvssomethingorother/pseuds/danvssomethingorother
Summary: Don and Jonas's romantic relationship from Rusty's perspective and his longings for Don to be apart of their family.





	1. Chapter 1

Rusty bounced excitedly as he hurried down the stairs, uncle Don was finally back.

His uncle was his favorite person in the entire world, everything about him was sincere and he loved him. Something he knew no one else did, maybe not even dad.

He stopped at the last step taking a cautious look around the living room. No one was here, his heart deflated not even his Uncle Don. He jumped from the last step and made his way towards the lab, dad had still promised to let him create his uncle’s new grappling hook. A bright smile fell on his face as he hurried down the stairs to the lab. He knew he could do it. His inventions hadn’t been exploding lately, dad had even been proud of him with his two way radio.

His eyes widened when he finally made his way into the lab, his dad had someone pressed against the counter, his fingers in their hair, biting their neck. It took him a moment to recognize him but he was kissing his uncle Don’s throat.

“I have missed you so Blue Baby,” he hissed huskily into his ear pressing a kiss on his ear. His dad didn’t show him affection unless there was an audience to play to, it was so strange to see him being tender with anyone.

“And I have missed you,” don groaned out pulling his father into a kiss. It took a minute but Don finally noticed the confused child standing there. Gently he pushed away from his father.

“Hey pal,” he said cautiously pushing a disappointmented Jonas away to sweep rusty into his arms, holding him close and pressing a kiss on his temple. Rusty melted into it, clinging to his uncle. He missed feeling loved and wanted, he pushed aside his initial confusion.

“Aw little wonder, I forgot you were going to be daddy’s helper today,” his father chucked making him tense slightly as he ran his fingers through his hair, arm around his uncle in a loving embrace. His father was seldomly happy, it was another perk of his uncle coming back.

Rusty leaned contently against his uncle, he had never truly felt like he had a family before, but this is how he always imagined it. This is how it was on TV. His uncle don wasn’t the traditional mother figure but the Ventures weren’t a traditional family. This is all he wanted and he hoped it wouldn’t end.

A sadness crept through him seeing Don’s golden wedding band sparkling on his finger. It wasn’t going to last.

\---

Later that night, Rusty was excitedly showing his uncle the prototype he had created for his new grappling gun. Going a mile a minute about how it would work and how it was better then the one he currently had that kept breaking on him.

Don listened with a smile but Rusty could tell his mind was somewhere else, so he stopped, setting the prototype down. Don sighed gently putting his hand on Rusty’s and squeezing it gently.

“Can you keep secrets, Rust?”

Rusty nodded, knowing it was about what he saw earlier with his dad. He was young but he wasn’t dumb, he had to keep these secrets from his other uncles wives as well. Horace made it clear he would be in trouble if he ever let them slip. This was different though, this one involved him personally.

“Do you love Pop?” Rusty finally blurted out, maybe if he loved him enough, he could stay here with them. Permanently no need to go to New York anymore. 

“I love you both with all my heart,” he said taking Rusty’s hand and making Rusty smile brighter then he had ever smiled.

“You’ll stay with us?” he begged clinging tighter to his uncle’s hand.

“Sorry, Rust, but its not that simple,” he sighed out making Rusty’s heart drop, “I have to go home to Malcom and…”

He trailed off like he couldn’t even say he had a wife here, knowing it would ruin the moment. He just pressed a kiss against Rusty’s temple seeing how down hearted he was.

“Nothing says I can’t have more then one family to love.”

Rusty couldn’t find a way to respond, he didn’t know if he wanted to share.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of child abuse and self harm.

Rusty hated large parties. He didn’t care if it was technically for his birthday, it was never really for him. It was for his image and his father’s reputation. Never for him.

Rusty stood in the back, scratching anxiously at a bug bite. An outsider at his own party. He saw his uncle Don from across the yard, he wanted so desperately for him to pick him up and hold him close and shower him in affection he was starved of.

He knew he wouldn’t. He was holding hands with her and holding him. He was with his real family. He had no reason to hold rusty, his replacement son when he was away from his own child. He had no reason to kiss his dad and be apart of their family. He was with his real family.

He looked over at his dad, shamelessly running a finger up some woman’s arm, whispering in her ear. He felt angry. He had no right to but he felt nothing but anger. He had never felt this angry or filled with hatred before.

He was always too afraid to feel this way. He was too afraid to feel this way when Uncle Rodney threatened to kill him, gun pointed at his head, making him cry and beg for him to stop but he never did until the trigger was pulled.

He was always too afraid to feel this angry when those men yanked him from his home and put tight restraints on him. So tight his wrists bled as he lay alone in the dark for hours until someone cared enough to save him.

He was always too afraid to tell his father no when he dragged him down into the lab and made him test out his projects. The pain and humiliation of being laughed at when they misfired and left him injured.

He had always been too afraid of the consequences of feeling angry. Of lashing back at people who hurt him. But he clenched his fists tighter seeing his uncle kiss his own son on the temple. He hated him. He hated his wife. He hated his real son.

The people who kept him away. Who kept him from protecting rusty and loving him full time. Being with his dad full time and keeping him happy enough to not want anything bad to happen to rusty.

They took his uncle from him and were tearing his family apart. They took away the only person who loved him and cared enough to protect him. The only person who made him safe.

He scratched so hard at his bug bite blood ran ran from it but he didn’t stop. It wasn’t like anyone noticed him or cared. He felt strong tears running down his face. He hated them so much.

“Baby stop,” he felt someone prying his nails away from his raw and bloody arm. His tearfilled eyes met his uncle Don’s worried and panicky gaze, holding his hands tight forcing him to stop.

“Hey, hey, it’s alright,” his uncle whispered to him picking him up and letting him cling to him, “let’s get you cleaned up and then you can play with Malcom.”

Just the mention of the son he chose to call his own made Rusty’s teeth grind hard and cry harder.

He hated him so much and he couldn’t say it out loud or he would lose the person who cared about him.

The only person in a sea of people who even cared he was hurt and crying at his own birthday party.


End file.
